Abia State House of Assembly Adhoc and Fact-finding Committee on Flood disaster in Aba, has warned traders and residents in the commercial nerve centre of the State to desist from dumping waste materials in the waterways to avoid flood disaster.
The Chairman of the Committee and member representing Aba Central State Constituency, Hon. Abraham Obah, who gave the warning when his team embarked on a fact-finding cum sensitization mission to Aba expressed regrets that it was the residents and traders who dump refuses in drainage system were the root cause of the recent flood disaster in the areas.
He disclosed that what the team discovered in Ariaria International Market and its environs was an eyesore and uncalled-for stating that traders and Aba residents must be sensitized on environmental cleanliness to aid Abia Government address the root causes of flooding and its attendant effects in the Enyimba city.
Some of the affected areas visited by the committee include, Asannentu spare parts market, Ariaria International market, Eziukwu Road market, Shopping centre among others.
Earlier, the Chairman of Asannentu spare parts dealers, Mr. Hyacinth Mbakwe, while conducting members of the committee round the market disclosed that some of the shops were built on waterways thereby causing blockages and waterlog in the market adding that when the market was gutted with fire few months ago, that fire fighters found it difficult to access the place to salvage the inferno.
Mbakwe and his counterparts at Ariaria, Eziukwu-Cemetry road and shopping center markets therefore appealed to the lawmakers and Abia state government to come to their aid adding that overflooding had dangerously affected businesses in the areas.
In their remarks, the Transition Committee Chairman of Aba North Local Government Area, Barr. Charles Esonu and the Deputy TC chairman, Osisioma Ngwa, Ezeogo Joseph Iguodo, described the committee’s visit as worthwhile and leadership at its best adding that it is a pragmatic approach to fair representation.
They added that they would further liaise with relevant stakeholders in their various local government areas with a view to sensitizing the people on the need for environmental cleanliness and the dangers of dumping waste materials in the drainage systems.
Other members of the committee on the visit were Hon. Aaron Uzodike, Aba North State Constituency, Hon. Obinna ichita, Aba South, Hon. Nnamdi Allen Nwachukwu, Osisioma Ngwa South, and Hon. Chukwu Chijioke Chukwu, Bende North.
The Deputy General manager of ASEPA, Aba zone, Chief Rowland Nwakanma also accompained the lawmakers on the sensitization tour.